PHOENIX (AP) — The main burn center in Phoenix has seen its emergency department visits double during the heat wave that is scorching the Southwest U.S.
Arizona Burn Center director Kevin Foster says this June is the worst the center has seen in 18 years.
He said most patients arrive with contact burns, from touching hot car interiors or walking outside barefoot. Foster said one child received contact burns after crawling through a doggy door onto the hot pavement.
The burns are among several hazards resulting from a heat wave that has plagued Arizona, Nevada, and California, including deaths, increased wildfire risks and a water shortage in one community north of Phoenix. The heat wave brought a high of 119 degrees in Phoenix on Tuesday, while Las Vegas topped out at 117.